-Caveat Lector- Drones will keep watch on waters off Florida By Matthew Hay Brown | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted December 13, 2002
Drones on patrol (SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL/ORLANDO SENTINEL) Dec 13, 2002 The Air Force has deployed them to monitor military movements in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines. The CIA dispatched one recently to kill a suspected al-Qaeda leader in Yemen. Now the Coast Guard is planning to bring the latest in battlefield technology to the waters off Florida. The maritime service, set to join the new Department of Homeland Security, is planning to deploy flying drones, remote-controlled aircraft similar to those now used for wartime surveillance, to patrol the nation's coastal regions for security threats. Officials say the unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, will enable them to extend their reach into offshore waters by monitoring larger areas less expensively and more efficiently. The rapidly emerging technology gained prominence last month when the CIA used a Predator drone outfitted with a Hellfire missile to blow up suspected al-Qaeda operative Qaed Salim Sinan al- Harethi as he traveled along a desert highway in northwest Yemen. Al-Harethi and five others were killed in the attack. Coast Guard officials say they have no plans to arm their drones, which also may be used to spot drug runners, locate undocumented migrants and assist in search-and-rescue missions on the high seas. "They're going to serve the same purpose our existing aircraft serve," said Lt. Tony Russell of Coast Guard District Seven in Miami, which covers the Southeast and the Caribbean. "They're going to increase our maritime domain awareness." The acquisition of up to 76 drones nationwide, set to begin within four years, is one part of Deepwater, the Coast Guard's $17 billion program to replace aging equipment and respond to new security challenges. The program also includes the purchase of up to 91 ships, 35 planes and 34 helicopters and upgrades of up to 49 cutters and 93 helicopters currently in use. "Deepwater will enable the Coast Guard to continue to perform its mission and improve on it," program spokesman Seth Winnick said. "The UAVs will provide a technological capability that will allow us to be even more efficient." More than patrols Offshore patrols are just one domestic use for which drones are being considered. The Department of Transportation is investigating their use in watching over oil and gas pipelines and monitoring the shipment of hazardous cargo. Early next year, the Department of Defense is planning to gauge their suitability for tracking drug- smuggling aircraft on a test run up South and Central America. The Coast Guard is planning to purchase two designs. Bell Helicopter's vertical-launch Eagle Eye tilt-rotor aircraft, set to enter into service in 2006, may fly for about five hours at a time at altitudes of up to 14,500 feet. Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk fixed-wing aircraft, to follow a decade later, can stay aloft for about 30 hours and reach a height of up to 65,000 feet. The Eagle Eye and Global Hawk both may be outfitted with cameras, radar or other sensors to search or spy on faraway stretches of ocean, loitering for extended periods if desired. Both are less expensive to purchase, maintain and operate than traditional manned aircraft. The Eagle Eye, which the Coast Guard estimates will cost $2.5 million to $3 million each, may be launched from the 425-foot National Security Cutter or the 341-foot Offshore Patrol Cutter. It may be controlled by a pilot stationed aboard ship or on the ground. Details unavailable Officials say details of where and how the drones would be deployed have yet to be finalized. Likely assignments include monitoring offshore waters for the smuggling of narcotics, individuals and weapons. "UAVs will be the over-the-horizon eyes for the cutters," said Chief Petty Officer Phyllis Gamache-Jensen of Coast Guard District One in Boston, which covers the Northeast. "Homeland security is really about situational awareness. The more technology we have, the more capability we have." Mixed reviews Drones earned mixed reviews during the war in Afghanistan, where the first two Global Hawks pressed into service ultimately crashed. Vulnerable to difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions, unmanned aircraft also have gone down over the no-fly zones in Iraq. "They're less flexible, and you will take higher attrition rates than with manned aircraft," said Colin Robinson, an analyst at the independent Center for Defense Information in Washington. "They can serve a purpose, as long as you're willing to spend the money and work within the limitations." Robinson said those limitations include the inability of cameras and sensors to monitor an area as well as a trained pilot. "But for a wide range of uses, that's not critically necessary all the time," he said. Pat Garrett, an analyst for GlobalSecurity.org in Virginia, said drones would not replace the Coast Guard's manned aircraft, but can add value as part of a larger fleet. "It's going to give you additional range and reduce the time it takes to get aircraft on scene," he said. "It's really going to be an important tool for the Coast Guard. It will help them in every aspect of their mission, during wartime and peacetime." Matthew Hay Brown may be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 787-729-9072. Copyright � 2002, Orlando Sentinel -- Outgoing mail is certified virus free Scanned by Norton AntiVirus <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. 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